1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates generally to radio frequency communication devices and more specifically to mixers requiring relatively low local oscillator power levels and having high third order intercepts.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The dynamic range of many prior art microwave front-ends is controlled by the single and two-tone intermodulation levels of a Schottky diode mixer. (S. Weiner, D. Neuf, S. Spohrer, "2 to 8 GHZ Double Balanced MESFET Mixer With +30 dBm Input 3rd Order Intercept," 1988 IEEE MTT-S Digest, pp. 1097-1099.) A typical Schottky mixer obtains third order intercept points approximately equal to the local oscillator (LO) power minus the conversion loss plus 10-dB. The popular diode-ring double-balanced mixer often requires the LO power to exceed the signal compression level by 6-dB. Trade-offs between LO power levels and third order intercept and one dB compression points are inevitable, even in multiple diode schemes attempting to improve isolation, bandwidth, and single-tone intermodulation levels. Low distortion mixing is known to be possible with small amounts of LO power when an unbiased channel of a GaAs MESFET is used as the mixing element. (See, Stephen A. Maas, "A GaAs MESFET Balanced Mixer With Very Low Intermodulation," 1987 IEEE MTT-S Digest, pp. 895-896.) Weiner, et al., describe both single and double balanced mixers that use GaAs MESFETs instead of diodes. These mixers operate over a two to eight GHz range and obtain third order intercepts greater than +28 dBm at an LO power input of +23 dBm, with typical conversion loss of 8-dB, and an LO to radio frequency (RF) isolation greater than 25-dB. Weiner, et al., explain that previous designs using MESFETs had been limited by the LO balun and intermediate frequency (IF) transformer. These limitations were overcome by using a ring of GaAs MESFETs and tapered microstrip baluns in novel single and double balanced configurations to achieve multi-octave bandwidths. However, the bandwidth of these units is limited by the MESFET package parasitic reactances used in the ring. Weiner, et al., indicate that their future experiments will include a monolithic MESFET Quad with special gate geometry designed to improve the third order distortion, and wire-bonding of the FET to an alumina substrate to minimize parasitic reactances.
The Siliconix Si8901-DBM is a monolithic quad-MOSFET ring demodulator/mixer that is reported to achieve third-order intercepts exceeding +37 dBm and 2-dB signal overload compression and desensitization of +30 dBm at a LO drive level of +17 dBm (50 mW). (Ed Oxner, "High Dynamic Range Mixing With The Si8901," March 1988,pp. 10-11.) The Si8901 comes in a hermetic TO-99 package and a surface mount SO-14 package. The Si8901 commutation-mixer relies on the switching action of the quad-MOSFET elements to effect a mixing action. The MOSFETs act, essentially, as a pair of switches reversing the phase of a signal at a rate determined by the LO frequency. The MOSFETs exhibit a finite on-resistance that is expressed as a conversion efficiency loss. The loss results from the r.sub.ds(on) of the MOSFETs relative to both the signal and IF impedances and signal conversion to unwanted frequencies.
The dynamic range of existing FET mixers is a function both of the quiescent DC operating point of the FET devices included therein, as well as of the LO drive level. Conventional DC bias techniques, including those involving the application of externally-supplied DC gate voltages, have required substantial LO drive levels in applications requiring significant dynamic range. This has generally required the inclusion of relatively high-power RF amplifiers in the "pumping" circuits used to generate the LO drive signals, often resulting in increased circuit cost and complexity.